GMAT Study Skills

Thomas Edison said, “Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration.” Here is our take on that: “GMAT® exam success is 1% inspiration, 99% preparation.”As with so many other things in life, the more prepared you are, the more you are likely to succeed. Whether that preparation involves practicing skills, researching informa- tion, memorizing lines, or developing a presentation, you make success possible by doing whatever you can to be ready for the situation.  Where Do I Start? Chances are you already have a crowded to-do list, and you may be wondering how you will fit in the time you need to prepare for the GMAT exam. You have a life outside your plans for business school that may include work and family obligations, and you may already be in school, so you don’t have an unlimited amount of time to prepare. The key is to maximize the study time you do have. CHAPTER Study Skills 2 21 To study means “to give one’s attention to learning a subject; to look at with careful attention.” Notice that the word attention comes up twice in this definition. How you study is as important as how much time you spend studying. To study effectively, you need to focus all your attention on the material, so the prepa- ration time you do have must be quality time. This section of the book will help you determine the study strategies that are right for you. It also will provide you with techniques for overcoming the two most com- mon roadblocks to successful studying: anxiety and distraction. Visualize Your Future If you are ready to prepare for the GMAT exam, you have probably already researched several business schools and selected the programs that interest you most. Perhaps you are attracted to a particular program because it offers a unique course program or concentration, or you are impressed with the work of certain faculty members and would like to study with them. Maybe you know the reputations of particular programs and want the career opportunities they can offer. You may desire to go to a school close to where you live or to one that offers weekend or online courses. If you have not investigated your options, now is the time to do so. You can search online for informa- tion, contact schools directly, and ask reference librarians to help you search. Keep an open mind — at this stage, it cannot hurt to explore any program that piques your interest. One excellent business school resource is GMAC’s MBA Pathfinder™, a program that helps you objectively compare programs and consider impor- tant factors such as elective course work and faculty teaching styles. You can search business schools through Pathfinder at www.mba.com. As you narrow your options to one or a few schools, you will want to learn as much about the partic- ular program(s) as you possibly can. Perform Internet searches for all faculty members to learn more about their particular areas of interest. Skim through whatever course syllabi, student projects, and graduate stu- dent resources the program has posted online so you can compare your top choices and have an edge when you submit application materials and go in for interviews. If at all possible, visit the campuses of your top two or three choices. In addition to helping you choose wisely, the information you gather on a visit is valuable input to help you form a visual image of yourself in business school. Visualization is a powerful tool that motivates you to make your dreams a reality. Once you know where you want to be, spend a little time envisioning yourself there. What are you doing? Giving a presentation? Engaging in a conversation with an admired professor? Listening to an inspired lec- ture? Go over your vision, keep it in your mind, and use it to reinforce your resolution to study. Sticking to a study plan can be a real challenge. You would often rather be doing other things, and unforeseen obstacles may present themselves. You may be overwhelmed at times with the size of the task, or you may be anxious about your chances for success. These are all common problems. This book will show you how you can over- come them. – STUDY SKILLS – 22 The actor and comedian Jim Carrey is reported to have written himself a check for a million dollars when he was still struggling and broke. He carried that check in his wallet for years. Whenever he felt discouraged, he would take out the check and look at it. He visualized receiving a million-dollar check for his work one day. Car- rey made that million-dollar paycheck part of his reality, and reality added a few extra zeros for him. A Reality Check 23  I Need a Plan You already know a great deal about studying. You could not have gotten this far, to the doorstep of business school, without effective study skills. The following pages will help you fine-tune your study methods so that you can make the most efficient use of your time. The key to success in this endeavor, as in so many, is to take things one step at a time. Break this giant task down into manageable pieces. Your first step in successful studying is to create a study plan. What Should I Study? First, you must decide what you need to study. You may want to start with the pretests at the beginning of Parts II, III, and IV to help you assess your strengths and weaknesses. Make a list of each type of question and how well you scored on it, and analyze your list. What kinds of questions did you miss? What patterns do you see? Do you need to work on sentence correction questions? Word problems or data sufficiency? Do critical reasoning questions throw you for a loop? In your practice analytical essays, did you organize your thoughts well and convey them clearly? Did you take a clear position on the issue and effectively analyze the argument? It can be difficult to judge your own writing accurately so get feedback from someone whose opinions you trust and respect so you can better identify your writing strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly, do not forget to give yourself credit for the questions you answered correctly. Once you are aware of what you know and what you still need to work on, you can effectively priori- tize whatever study time you have available. Remember, no matter how you scored on the pretests and no mat- ter what your weaknesses are, you will get better with practice. The more you study and the more effectively you work, the higher you will score on the actual exam. How Do I Find the Time to Study? Now is the time to create a realistic study schedule. You might be thinking that your life is too full without cramming in study time, too. But maybe you have more time available than you think. Think about your typ- ical daily and weekly activities and determine when you have free time to devote to studying. Do not forget the short stretches — the 10 minutes here, the 15 minutes there. Sometimes you can do your best studying in short bursts. If you cannot seem to find the time, ask yourself what is more important to you in the long run than achieving your goals. Your life may seem quite full, but you are bound to spend some time at less pro- ductive activities, such as watching television. You could use this time to help make your dreams a reality. Four Sources of Practice Tests 1. The next three sections of this book begin with a short diagnostic pretest and end with multiple-choice practice questions. Answers and explanations for each question are provided within each section. 2. When you register for the GMAT exam, you will receive PowerPrep® software on a CD-ROM. PowerPrep includes hundreds of practice questions and answers in the same format as the actual GMAT exam as well as a CAT tutorial and math review. You can also download PowerPrep by becoming a registered user of www.mba.com. (No registration fee is required.) 3. The GMAC’s Official Guide for GMAT Review, 10th Edition contains over 1,400 actual GMAT exam ques- tions with explanations by the test developers. You can purchase this book from the GMAT exam website at www.mba.com/mba/TaketheGMAT/ToolsToHelpYouPrepare/GMATPrepProducts/OfficialGuide.htm. 24 I Deserve a Reward One excellent way to keep yourself motivated is to set up a system of rewards. Write down a list of things you enjoy; they will be the rewards to give yourself when you reach certain study goals. For example, if you keep your commitment to study for an hour in the evening, you can reward yourself by watching your favorite tel- evision show. If you stay on track all week, you can indulge in a Sunday afternoon banana split. Think care- fully about what truly motivates you — only you know what will keep you on task — and use this strategy throughout your preparation time. What’s My Style? Another way to make your study time more effective is to think about how you learn the best. We all have certain modes that we employ to make it easier to learn and remember information. Are you a visual learner, an auditory learner, a kinesthetic learner, or a combination of two or all three? Here are some questions to help you determine your dominant learning style(s): 1. If you have to remember an unusual word, you most likely a. picture the word in your mind. b. repeat the word aloud several times. c. trace out the letters with your finger. 2. When you meet new people, you remember them mostly by a. their actions and mannerisms. b. their names (faces are hard to remember). c. their faces (names are hard to remember). Visual learner • Form images in your mind. • Use color codes. • Use flashcards. Auditory learner • Say things out loud. • Record tapes for yourself. • Explain things to others. Kinesthetic learner • Write it down. • Walk or move around as you study. • Act it out. Go with Your Learning Style 25 3. In class you like to a. take notes, even if you do not reread them. b. listen intently to every word. c. sit up close and watch the instructor. A visual learner would answer a, c, and c. An auditory learner would answer b, b, and b. A kinesthetic learner would answer c, a, and a. Visual learners like to read and are often good spellers. They may find it hard to follow oral instructions, or even to listen, unless there is something interesting to watch. When visual learners study, they often ben- efit from graphic organizers such as charts and graphs. Flashcards often appeal to them and help them learn, especially if they use colored markers, which will help them form images in their mind as they learn words or concepts. Auditory learners, by contrast, like oral directions and may find written materials confusing or boring. They often talk to themselves and may even whisper aloud when they read. They like being read aloud to. Auditory learners will benefit by saying things aloud as they study and by making tapes for themselves and listening to them later. Oral repetition is also an important study tool. Making up rhymes or other oral mnemonic devices will also help them study, and they may like to listen to music as they work. Kinesthetic learners like to stay on the move. They often find it difficult to sit still for a long time and will often tap their feet and gesticulate a lot while speaking. They tend to learn best by doing rather than observing. Kinesthetic learners may want to walk around as they practice what they are learning, because using their body helps them remember things. Taking notes and making flashcards are important ways of reinforcing knowledge for the kinesthetic learner. It is important to note that most people learn using a mixture of styles, although they may have a distinct preference for one style over the others. Determine which is your dominant style, but be open to strategies for all types of learners.  I Need a Place So far, you have gathered information about the GMAT exam and about graduate programs, taken pretests to determine what you need to learn, and thought about techniques that will help you better absorb what you are learning. Now it is time to think about where you are going to work and what kinds of things will enhance your learning experience. You know that in order to do your best work, especially when you are studying, you need to be focused, alert, and calm. Your undivided attention must be on the task at hand. That means you have to use a lot of forethought when setting up your study time and environment. Five Questions about Setting Ask yourself the following questions to determine the study environment that will be most effective for you: 1. Where do I like to work? Where do I feel comfortable and free from distractions? If you have a desk in your living space, you may be used to studying there, or maybe you usually work at the dining room table or the kitchen counter. If your usual spot is well lit and set up for your comfort and convenience, with all your study materials at hand, then it is an obvious choice for you. However, sometimes it can be hard to avoid distractions in shared living areas. If you share a living space, you may find it best to study away from home, perhaps at the local library or coffee shop, or to schedule your study time when you know your study area will be quiet. If you are currently in school, remember that you are adding your GMAT exam preparation time to your usual study schedule. Will this create any scheduling conflicts with your normal study space? 2. What time of day is best for me to study? When am I most alert and focused? Are there potential conflicts with other duties or family members that need to be addressed? If you are a morning person, it might make sense for you to get up an hour or so earlier than nor- mal while you are preparing for the GMAT exam. Early mornings are often a time of relative quiet, when you can work without interruptions. If you do not think so well in the early morning, you can schedule another time of the day as your GMAT exam study time. Just be sure you do not push yourself to stay up extra late in order to study. Studying is only productive if you are focused, and it is difficult to focus when you are tired. (Do not count on caffeine to keep you alert. Caffeine is only a temporary solution that can exacerbate the problem.) It is wise to establish a consistent time for study if possible (e.g., Monday through Friday morning from 7:00 A . M . to 7:30 A . M . and Saturday mornings 9:00 A . M . to 12:00 P . M .). Make sure the people around you are aware that this is your study time. You can expect more support for your efforts if you – STUDY SKILLS – 26 Use this table to determine the times during the week that are available to you for studying. Be sure to respect your sleep time—the more rest you have, the better you will learn and retain information. MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 6:00 A . M . 6:30 A . M . 7:00 A . M . 7:30 A . M . 8:00 A . M . 8:30 A . M . 9:00 A . M . 9:30 A . M . 10:00 A . M . 10:30 A . M . 11:00 A . M . 11:30 A . M . 12:00 P . M . 12:30 P . M . 1:00 P . M . 1:30 P . M . 2:00 P . M . 2:30 P . M . 3:00 P . M . 3:30 P . M . 4:00 P . M . 4:30 P . M . 5:00 P . M . (continued) When Can I Study? 27 When Can I Study? MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 5:30 P . M . 6:00 P . M . 6:30 P . M . 7:00 P . M . 7:30 P . M . 8:00 P . M . 8:30 P . M . 9:00 P . M . 9:30 P . M . 10:00 P . M . 10:30 P . M . 11:00 P . M . 11:30 P . M . 28 let family members and friends know you are working to achieve a goal and that you need to stay focused. Be sure to let them know you appreciate their support when you receive it. Set aside a time to study on the same day of the week and time of the day you have scheduled to take the exam. This is the very best time to prepare for the GMAT exam, especially in the weeks lead- ing up to the test. If you practice taking the test and work on improving your skills on that day and at that time, your mind and your body will be ready to operate at peak efficiency when you really need them. For example, if you are scheduled to take the GMAT exam on Saturday morning, get into the habit of studying for the test during the actual testing hours. 3. How do sounds affect my ability to concentrate? Do I prefer silence? Does music enhance my concentration? Some people need relative quiet in order to study because most noises distract them. If you are one of these people, you know it by now, and you have a repertoire of strategies that help you achieve the level of silence you need. Earplugs can be a real blessing. Make sure your study place and time can accommodate your need for quiet. Maybe you do not mind a little noise; perhaps you even like music playing in the background while you study. Research has shown that the music of Mozart enhances math performance. Similar results have not been shown for other kinds of music, but if you have music that you know helps you relax and focus, then make sure that music is on hand when you study. If you have never tried studying to classical music, especially Mozart, now is a good time to try. If you do not think it enhances your con- centration, then go back to techniques you already know work for you. The important thing is to be aware of the effect sound has on your ability to concentrate. It does not do any good to sit in front of the books and sing along with your favorite CD. 4. Is the light right? Does my study space have adequate lighting? Study lighting needs to be bright enough to read by comfortably. Lighting that is too dim can cause eyestrain and headaches, and can make you sleepy. Lighting that is too bright, though, can make you uncomfortable and make it difficult to relax and focus. You can’t control the lighting in many situa- tions, including the exam room itself, but you can create a lighting situation that’s right for you when you study. Experts say the best light for reading comes from behind, falling over your shoulder onto your book. If that isn’t a possibility for you, then at least make sure the light falls onto your books, not into your eyes. 5. What about food? Should I snack while I study? If so, on what? Only you can answer these questions. Does food energize you, or does it slow you down while you digest? If you are not sure, pay attention to how your brain and body feel after eating. After a big meal, many people feel sluggish and sleepy as the blood from their brain and muscles goes to the stomach to aid in digestion. If the only time you have to study is right after dinner, you may want to pass on the second helpings and even on dessert so that you will be more alert. On the other hand, it is also difficult to concentrate when you are hungry. If it has been a while since your last meal, you may want to snack before or as you study. Generally speaking, snacks are fine. However, you want to avoid two categories of foods: sugary snacks (candy, cookies, and ice cream) and caffeinated drinks (coffee, colas, and nonherbal teas). Sugar surges into your bloodstream quickly, making you feel temporarily energized, but it leaves your bloodstream just as quickly and you experience a rebound effect of feeling more tired than ever. Try keeping track of this effect sometime. See if you can determine how long it takes you to crash after a dose of sugar. Caffeine is another trickster. In moderation, it produces an effect of alertness, but it is easy to cross the line into being jittery, which makes it hard to focus and be productive. Also, if you consume caffeine in the evening, it can interfere with a good night’s sleep, leaving you feeling tired instead of well rested in the morning. It is best to stay away from caffeinated drinks after lunchtime. – STUDY SKILLS – 29  The Right Tools You can spend hours trying to put a nail through a piece of wood with a rock, or you can get the job done in a few minutes with a hammer. The right tools can make all the difference, especially if your time is limited. Fortunately, you already have one of the most important tools for the GMAT exam: this book, which tells you all about the GMAT exam and the information and skills you need to be successful on the exam. You may also want to use the Official Guide for GMAT Review, 10th Edition, which is the best source for retired GMAT exam questions. In addition, check out the Skill Builder in Focus series from LearningExpress. Each of these books is designed to help you build proficiency in specific skills tested either directly or indirectly on the GMAT exam: ■ 501 Reading Comprehension Questions ■ 501 Grammar and Writing Questions ■ 501 Vocabulary Questions ■ 501 Writing Prompts ■ 501 Challenging Logic and Reasoning Problems ■ 501 Algebra Questions ■ 501 Geometry Questions ■ 501 Math Word Problems You should also assemble some other important study tools and keep them in your GMAT exam study area: ■ a good dictionary, such as Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate® Dictionary, Tenth Edition ■ a notebook or legal pad dedicated to your GMAT exam notes ■ pencils (and a pencil sharpener) or pens ■ a highlighter, or several in different colors ■ index or other note cards ■ paper clips or sticky note pads for marking pages ■ a calendar or personal digital assistant (PDA) Take the time to choose tools that you will enjoy using; they can be a small daily reward for doing your work. Buy the type of pens you like the most and select items in your favorite colors. Information Gathering As you gather your tangible tools, you also need to gather your intangible tools: the information you need about the exam so that you can study the right material in the right way at the right time. If you have not already done so, read Chapter 1 of this book to learn about the GMAT exam. Chapter 1 discusses what kind of test it is, what you need to do to register, when you can take the test, what the testing center will be like, – STUDY SKILLS – 30 [...]... your critical reasoning skills, review the rules of grammar and style, practice your writing skills, and brush up on your math as you prepare for the GMAT exam—but it’s not sufficient to do only these things Like all standardized tests, the GMAT exam also measures your test-taking skills In this section, you will learn some of the best testtaking strategies for success on the GMAT exam, including approaches... making a study plan based on the times you have available to study and on your assessment of your practice test results (see the section “The Study Plan” earlier in this chapter ) Creating a study plan is easy You have time to do it Once you have it in place, you just follow it You choose success If you have not already made your study plan, what are you waiting for? Once you have created a study plan,... words several weeks or more before you take the GMAT exam, you may want to bookmark this page and come back to it the week before the test (got your sticky notes handy?) Your study routine during the last week before the exam should vary from your study routine of the preceding weeks 45 – STUDY SKILLS – The Final Week Exactly one week before you take the GMAT exam is a good time for your final practice... pretest scores were weak in this area, you may decide to allow extra time for critical-reasoning skills review The Study Plan You have thought about how, when, and where you will study; you have collected your tools and gathered essential information about the GMAT exam Now, you are ready to flesh out your study plan Here are the steps: 1 If you have not done so already, take a practice test You can use...– STUDY SKILLS – and what your scores mean Part I will also tell you where you can take the GMAT exam, when you should register, how much it costs, and what you can and cannot take with you to the exam In addition, Parts II, III, and IV describe in detail the kinds of questions to expect on the GMAT exam and provide you with study tips and strategies for answering... writing Analysis of Argument essays Week Six Practice writing Analysis of Issue essays Review all Verbal section skills Week Seven Learn about and practice problem solving skills Week Eight Learn about and practice data sufficiency skills Week Nine Do two practice tests from the Official Guide for GMAT Review, 10th Edition Week Ten Review any question types you do not understand Get lots of rest! Naturally,... Yourself You may have noticed that the last thing on the sample study plan is “get lots of rest.” During the last few days before the exam, you should ease up on your study schedule The natural tendency for many people is to cram Maybe that strategy has worked for you with other exams, but it is not a good idea with the GMAT exam For one thing, the GMAT exam is a three-and-a-half-hour test, and you need to... Guide for GMAT Review, 10th Edition To create an effective study plan, you need to have a good sense of exactly what you need to study 2 Analyze your test results How did you do? What areas seem to be your strengths? Your weaknesses? Remember that these are just diagnostic tests at this point, so if your results are not as good as you had hoped, do not be discouraged You are committing to this study plan... best on the GMAT exam is to learn as much as you can about the test The more you know about what to expect, the more practice you have with the exam, the more relaxed you will be, and the better you will perform on test day 40 – STUDY SKILLS – Taking practice tests and working with the tips and strategies in this book will help you immensely You will get used to the kinds of questions on the GMAT exam... Plan your studying week by week with specific interim goals For example, “learn everything by April 1” is not a useful plan But if you plot specific learning goals for each type of question in the Verbal and Quantitative sections throughout the month, then your study plan will be a truly useful study guide Let’s say, for example, you have ten weeks until your test date One way to set up your study schedule . amount of time to prepare. The key is to maximize the study time you do have. CHAPTER Study Skills 2 21 To study means “to give one’s attention to learning. Your first step in successful studying is to create a study plan. What Should I Study? First, you must decide what you need to study. You may want to start